Ed, a lifelong Sony fan, pours his heart out over an especially painful betrayal: misleading PS Vita advertising. He's decided to take the next logical step.
A few days later, I got a reply. It was from the Better Business Bureau, telling me Sony had replied to my complaint. I felt like Sony was coming in for the hug, and I was tearing up ready to embrace the friend that I slapped in the mouth. After all, he was only stealing that $55 because he was too ashamed to tell me that he was dying of cancer, and he needed exactly $55 to pay for his chemotherapy. I was ready to forgive and forget. Too bad Sony wasn't.
Here is their reply.
"Thank you for contacting Sony Computer Entertainment America, LLC (SCEA). I am writing you in response to your original letter, dated February 25, 2012.
SCEA apologizes if Mr. Grabowski felt mislead into believing that by purchasing a PlayStation®Vita, that he would automatically receive a free month of the AT&T data session and a free downloadable Activision game. Unfortunately, we will not be able to fulfill Mr. Grabowski's request of a free Super Stardust Delta without a purchase of one month of the AT&T data session."
So this is how it's going to be, Sony? A loyal customer, a friend, a man who has spent years singing your praises isn't even worth $10 to you? I researched it and Super Stardust Delta, the free game, is only $10 on the PSN store. To Sony I am worth less than the cost of a movie ticket. They trained me at an early age to love them. They enticed me with their well-produced commercials. They welcomed me with a warm hug and a smile. And when I got upset with them, they dropped me quicker than the PSP Go.
To Sony, I am next to worthless. I told the Better Business Bureau that I was not, in fact, happy with Sony's response, and I again demanded they give me what they told me I would be getting when I purchased the Vita. Their manipulative wording on the box had told me that I would be getting these "bonus" goodies when I activated the free AT&T pass, but nowhere did it say I had to pay them first. It turned out that the "activation" they were talking about was a paid month of 3G from AT&T. If that isn't manipulative advertising, I don't know what is.
After another few days, I got another response from Sony. This one was much shorter.
"SCEA stands behind the original statement."
And that was that. Sony had made it clear that they had no intention of admitting they had manipulated me. Lied to me. Used me. They were willing to lose my business forever over $10. Now, I am a pretty determined guy. And I sure as hell don't like to be manipulated. And because of this, I have decided to take Sony to small claims court. I have not begun this yet, but I will next week.
I often read about manipulative advertising on everything from shampoo to automobiles. Companies often can't help themselves. The wording they use on their products to entice you can just as easily be used to deceive you. How many times have you bought something, brought it home, and found out it wasn't what you thought it was? It's common for us to be fooled every now and then; we can't always be on guard.
However, that doesn't mean we have to sit back and take it. For once, I want to be able to say that I did something about it. I didn't just toss it up to corporate greed and forget it ever happened. No, this time it's war. This time, it was a friend stealing $55 from my wallet. And I don't care how far his cancer has spread. I want my $55 back. And since when is chemotherapy only $55?